World Helo Championships Start in Poland

The 15th FAI World Helicopter Championships started today, with 98 pilots in 13 teams from 11 countries vying to be rated best in various skills competitions. The championships are being held at Przylep Airï¬eld in Zielona Gora in western Poland, where teams had spent the past four days training. They represent Austria, Belarus, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, the U.K. and Ukraine. There are two international teams competing, one with members from Austria and Germany and the other with members from the U.K. and the Macau Special Administrative Region in China. The competition starts tomorrow with precision-flying and "fender-rigging," or external-lift, events. Organized by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (the world air sports federation and global aviation records judge), the championships aim to draw public attention to aviation sports and "showcase the role of helicopters in different areas including rescue, utility and public safety operations."